Dereham lead from front

PUBLISHED: 11:59 29 May 2008 | UPDATED: 14:35 07 July 2010

Dereham skipper Duncan Hewitt and vice-captain Andy Lawrence provided a crucial third-wicket stand to lead their side to the top of the Norfolk Alliance Division Two table with victory at Garboldisham.

Dereham skipper Duncan Hewitt and vice-captain Andy Lawrence provided a crucial third-wicket stand to lead their side to the top of the Norfolk Alliance Division Two table with victory at Garboldisham.

The same duo had produced a century partnership the previous week to defeat Kirkley & Lowestoft Railway, and on Saturday they put on 94 to set up a seven-wicket win.

Bowling first, Dereham kept a stranglehold on the Garboldisham batsmen early on and Gary Starling had Shepherd caught down the leg side by Neil Burrage with the score on eight. That was soon followed by the dismissal of Merrimen, as Lee Hoggett at square leg held on to a full-blooded pull shot following a Joe Marczewski long hop.

Some indecisive fielding gave Bodycombe several lives before he was run out by a direct hit from Hewitt with the score on 58.

Gary Starling held on to a brilliant boundary catch from Aaron Garner's bowling to remove Muirhead and further wickets for Lawrence and Garner made it 76-6.

But Dereham could not remove Neville Kemp, and he survived two dropped chances to compile an excellent half-century.

After Lawrence and Tom Head had each picked up a wicket to make it 123-9, Kemp (62 not out) marshalled the strike expertly to guide Garboldisham to a final total of 151-9.

The hosts suffered an early blow when Dereham batted as opening bowler Muirhead injured his foot in his second over and had to leave the field.

Phil Banyard hit three early boundaries but was dismissed with the score on 21 when the ball caught the shoulder of his bat and looped to slip. As Jay Eastoe-Smith had suffered a back injury in the field, Neil Burrage was promoted to No 3 and he added 34 with Hewitt before slicing a short ball to backward point having made 10.

Hewitt and Lawrence then batted patiently to take Dereham to the brink of victory. Hewitt reached his half-century from 108 balls, while Lawrence seemed set to pass 50 when he was caught behind for 45.

By then, Dereham needed just three more to win and Eastoe-Smith had recovered sufficiently to join Hewitt, who finished unbeaten on 80, to guide the visitors past the winning post.

On Saturday, Dereham are at home to Horsford A and on Sunday they face Mundford in the Lady Mary Trophy after the game was washed out last weekend.